The Right Thing: OneShot
by InkyAnimatronic
Summary: Jones hasn't been acting like he usually does around you. He's been aggressive and after a few months of dealing with it, you finally realize what might be wrong. You guys go and talk it out but someone else has plans for you.


**This is a oneshot that I might go back and add stuff to but yeah... i'm not sorry for this.**

* * *

It started when Jones left the break room after you and Gloria told him about the missing person getting into a car. After that, you two noticed he started gradually lashing out at everyone, more specifically… you.

Gloria was worried but you and the Chief shrugged it off. Figuring he was just stressed and burnt out from that case. Which was fine. It happens.

Eventually you guys solved that case. Jones was right, it was just an disappearing act. So he got plenty of praise for being right. And you were definitely happy for him since it was his case originally.

But as you went to different districts over the course of several months, he kept lashing out at you and no one else. Mainly in a passive aggressive way.

You still weren't sure what was up with him since it happened on several cases. But it was clear now, his anger was directed towards you and only you. He has since stopped lashing out at Gloria and the others.

But you kept on being his partner because you knew you could figure it out… eventually.

Today, in the last district of the city, something happens that makes you realize something might be wrong. Oh so very wrong.

You three were in the break room. Everything seemed normal and Jones was his usual happy self. He hadn't lashed out at you in a while and seemed genuinely happy to be around you again.

That is until you guys started talking about the cases you solved and how well you've done over the years.

You knew him well enough to tell he had tensed up and didn't like it so you decided to end the conversation quickly. Gloria caught on and it ended.

"Why'd you end the conversation?" Jones asked in his usual passive aggressive tone.

"Because I know you well enough to know you weren't enjoying it." You replied, deciding now or never. "What's been going on? It's been months and you're still lashing out at me for the smallest of reasons."

"Nothing is wrong." Jones replied.

"That's a lie." You said. "We're partners and best friends… right? You know you can tell us anything."

"You're a great inspector so why don't YOU figure it out?" Jones said.

"Because I'm not a mind reader?" You said. "Please. This has gone on long enough. Let's talk it out like adults before something happens."

"You make it sound like I'm going to _snap_ at any moment. Why haven't you asked Chief to make Gloria your permanent partner?" Jones asks.

"Because you're my original partner and best friend." You said, thinking about what he said about snapping. Why'd that sound familiar?

"I'm sure it'll be _the right thing to do_." Jones said and stood up, walking to the door.

"The...right...thing." You repeated. Then realization hit you like a train.

Gloria noticed this and by the time you came to your senses, Jones was gone and no longer in the room.

"That was...odder than usual." Gloria said.

"The right... did he just say ' _the right thing to do_?'" You asked and she nodded.

"Why?" Gloria asked, confused.

"We need to call Ramirez!" You said, taking your phone out and calling him.

After a moment he answered.

"Hey can you come to the station, it's super important? Sweet. Gloria and I will be in the break room. No. I don't know where Jones is right now."

Gloria gave you a worried look but you told her to wait until Ramirez came. Then you'll both explain things together.

Eventually he walked inside and sat down, seeing your head was resting on your arm and you seemed distressed.

"What's wrong?" Ramirez asked. "It sounded urgent."

"We have a problem." You said, looking over to him.

"What's that?" Ramirez questioned.

"I… I think Jones is going to kill me sometime soon." You stated.

"What?!" Ramirez asked, shocked. "What would give you that idea!? I mean, I know how he's been treating you but you know as much as I do that he'll never hurt you! Not on purpose anyway…"

"He said how getting Gloria to be my only partner would be, 'the right thing to do.' That's exactly what he told me before he nearly shot me during the interrogation room incident." You reminded him.

"The WHAT incident?" Gloria asked, shocked to hear this.

"It's a long story. Thankfully Ramirez was there to save us both. With his trusty frying pan." You said, with a small smile.

"So what happened?" Gloria asked and you huffed.

"Well…" You started to explain what Tess had done to those girls first. Then you talked about being in the interrogation room and what she did there.

Gloria was shocked to hear how Jones had nearly killed you due to being hypnotized and understood why you kept it from him when it seemed like he didn't remember.

"You don't actually think he'll try to kill you again… right?" Gloria said.

"I sure hope not." You sighed.

"Unfortunately, this does make sense." Ramirez said. "Tess mentioned him being like a pot boiling up and could snap at any moment. And how you needed to be careful around him."

"You remember that?" You asked, head back to resting on your arm. "It was 5 years ago…"

"Kind of hard to forget something like that."

"That's fair." You admitted. "I still remember the interrogation room incident clear as day."

"Well, hopefully you're just dealing with a overactive imagination. Though surely it wouldn't hurt to talk to Jones. Right?" Ramirez asked.

"I tried before you came. But…maybe he will talk to me alone." You said, deciding to give it a shot. "I'll see you two later."

You said goodbye and got up and went over to the bullpen. Going over to Jones' desk, you asked if he could come with you and talk elsewhere alone. To your surprise, he agreed.

He was confused when you went to the filing room and got out the Rorschach Reaper file. You two sat at the table and after a moment you broke the painful silence.

"So… do you really not remember what happened?" You asked, getting to the point.

"You mean… about me trying to kill you?" Jones asked and you nodded silently. "Yeah… I never forgot."

It was your turn to be confused.

"You what?" You asked, turning to him.

"I lied about falling down the stairs. I didn't want to remember something like that and I'm sure you didn't either." Jones replied, not looking at you.

"It's honestly been stuck in my head for the last 5 years. I guess no matter how hard I try I won't forget it." You said.

"You and me both." Jones said, honestly.

"So I take it you were happy that we rolled with what you said after the trial?" You asked and he nodded.

"Yeah. I was very happy you didn't try telling me otherwise. But I honestly feel better knowing that you know that I always knew about it now." **((This sentence tho.))**

"Yeah you literally just saved me from explaining it." You said.

"Why were you going to talk to me about?" Jones asked.

"What you said earlier, about making Gloria my permanent partner being the right thing to do made me think of this case." You said. "I was… worried that you'd try and kill me again."

"Oh… I didn't mean that by the way. I still want to be your partner."

"Why this tone?" You asked and he looked at you, raising a eyebrow.

"What do you mean?"

"First time in months you've talked to me without being passive aggressive for more than a few minutes." You frowned.

"Look… I don't know why I've been so awful to you. I know it was wrong but I can't stop myself. It just… happens…" Jones frowned too.

"…Do you actually resent me? Or are you jealous of me? I don't want what Tess said during her trial to come true." You said, opening the file.

"What did she say?" Jones asked, avoiding the first two questions.

"That you'd snap one day and kill me." You said.

"Oh…" Jones said, looking through the case with you.

Silence overwhelmed you both as you quietly looked through the case, remembering different things that happened.

"Hey umm… let's say that I did shoot you. But not in a fatal way back in the interrogation room. What would you have done to me?" Jones asked, breaking the silence.

"Nothing." You said, without skipping a beat. "I would've said it was a accident. That you had no control over yourself and that you shouldn't go to jail for something like that."

"You'd really still protect me even if I did something awful?" Jones asked.

"You're still my original partner and don't tell anyone else this but… you're my favorite partner. It'd be wrong for me to not protect you."

"Well, that's nice to know." Jones gave a genuine smile, actually happy to hear how he was your favorite of all the partners you've had. "Look, let me make this whole thing up to you. I've been feeling much better lately so maybe whatever is wrong is going away."

"Okay." You said.

"Let's go out somewhere after work." Jones suggested.

"Sounds good but… can you answer the two questions I asked?"

Jones shook his head.

"I don't resent you. Jealous….maybe. But I don't resent you." Jones said, making you feel better.

"Okay. That makes me feel a little bit better. Come on, let's put this case away and head back to the bullpen." You said and you both stood up.

\- Later -

It was a quiet night in the park. The two of you decided to go there to be alone and so far, everything was fine. You were beginning to think that Ramirez was right. It was just your overactive imagination.

"Heh. We sure do have a blessing huh?" You said, making Jones give a confused look. "Ramirez. I mean." You said, noticing this but he continued to look confused. "He saved us multiple times. If he's not a blessing to have around then I don't know what is."

"You can say that again." Jones winked, now understanding your point. "We both would probably be dead without him."

"Nice to have him back in Grimsborough with us." You said.

"Agreed." Jones nodded. "But it's nice having you back too. Never had another partner. I worked alone for the most part unless I needed extra help for something."

"See? You're a better detective than me if you've been easily managing cases on your own for the last few years." You said.

"Maybe so. But having a extra set of eyes and help isn't so bad." He stopped for a moment before he continued. "So… what exactly were you feeling when I almost shot you?" He asked, curiously. "I can't ever forget the look that you gave me."

"Well… I was scared. Not just for the fact my life was almost taken away. But I was scared about what would happen to you. Tess admitted what she did to those other girls but they're still in jail for second-degree murder."

"So chances are, I'll probably be in jail too." Jones added.

"Right." You said and noticed something. "Hm. A few hours later and you're still talking to me like you used to. Maybe whatever was going on is gone now." You said, noticing he hasn't been aggressive in a while.

"Hopefully." Jones groaned. "I don't know what happened but it has been terrible being a asshole like that."

"How do you think I feel being on the receiving end?"

"Got me there." Jones said. "So… we're still best friends?"

"Sure." You shrugged. "Never stopped anyway."

"Until now." A new voice said behind you guys.

"Ah!" Jones yelped, grabbing you as you guys turned around and stood up together before taking a few steps backward. "Where'd you come from!?"

"Ahem." You went and he let go of you.

"Don't you guys remember me?" The girl walked around the bench with a smile on her face. "You arrested my _dead_ sister."

You two glanced at each other, remembering instantly who she was.

"Morgan Goodwin?" Jones said and she nodded.

"Hm hmm." She hummed. "Glad to see you guys still remember me."

"What are you doing here?" You questioned. You were enjoying your time with Jones since it felt like old times. And was kind of annoyed it was interrupted.

"Well, I realized something after you came back, (Y/R) (Y/N)." Morgan continued. "My sister wanted something to be done. I think it was about some… thesis and masterpiece, right?"

"Yes…?" You said, worried about where she was going with this.

"Anyway, I decided what kind of sister would I be if I didn't finish what she started?" Morgan asked. "I know how your partner has been lashing out at you recently. But I purposely made him stop and act like himself again to bring you here… that said, I need to get him under my control again."

"Wait you what?" You asked, angrily as she took a pendulum out and began waving it as she stepped closer.

"I see that frustration is still building up, Inspector Jones." Morgan started.

"No!" You said, forcing Jones down and covering his eyes with your right hand while your left was at the back of his head. "No! No… this isn't happening again. Not again." You said, fearing for the worst as you watched Morgan stop in front of you two.

"Hmm." She growled. "Well, she wanted you dead… one way or another. So…" Morgan muttered and began to hypnotize you as you were still watching her and didn't close your eyes in time.

As she spoke to you, your hands slowly dropped to Jones' back and chest with his eyes still closed just to be safe.

"…All this stress, (Y/R) (Y/N). Just think… it could be all gone. All you need to do is the right thing." Morgan smiled, seeing that you were under her control completely now.

"The right…thing…" You muttered, moving away from Jones.

You walked backwards a few feet and Jones finally opened his eyes. He stood up as he watched you take your gun out from it's holster on your hip and being very quick to take his own out too.

"(Y/N)? What are you doing?!" Jones said, feeling very afraid as he held his gun at your shoulder.

"Do it." Morgan whispered. "Pull the trigger and all this stress and that image you need to keep up as a great detective will be gone forever."

"What? No! Don't do it!" Jones said, taking his gun off safety when you took yours off.

"The right…" You muttered, slowly raising your gun to your head, looking at Jones when you did it.

"I'm sorry for how I've been acting…please fight this…" Jones said, tearing up as Morgan chuckled.

"Oh yeah. That was all me." Morgan laughed. "I hope my sister enjoyed watching you be ruthless to your partner from beyond the grave. Especially since you had no control over it."

Jones ignored her and continued.

"Come on, partner. You can fight this. Put your gun down." Jones said, but your gun didn't move from your head.

"…Thing…"

"No. NO. NO!" Jones cried. "(Y/N) STOP! Don't let that horrible bitch win from beyond the grave. This is what she wanted…wait. No it isn't..."

"What?" Morgan asked.

"Tess said there was a killer inside all of us. I saw it in the case file. But how is she being a killer when she is going to shoot herself?" Jones asked.

"Hmm… yeah I don't really care about that. I just want-" Morgan was cut off when you spoke.

"…To do…"

Jones let out a sob and closed his eyes. Knowing there might not be anything he could do to stop you. Did the girls that Tess had murdered have a chance to talk their friends out of it? Even if they did… clearly it didn't work…. Meanwhile, Morgan continued watching and…

 _BANG._


End file.
